‘It is about time that the law changes for the purchase of corrosive acid – right now anyone can buy it easily from any hardware store. A teenager can easily walk into a store and purchase this lethal substance off the shelf.

‘Corrosive acids like sulphuric acid are very lethal and life damaging substances. You should only be allowed to purchase them with a licence to buy. The person purchasing should go through checks before.

‘Imagine how many attacks would be stopped if there were controls that made it harder to buy, and meant we knew more about people buying it?’

An EPP licence is required before regulated substances can be legally sold to the public, though a simple online search returns a concerning range of chemicals that could cause horrific injuries.

Suspicious transactions or thefts of harmful substances or chemicals can be reported to Met Police via email at chemical.reporting@met.police.uk or to the national contact point on 0800 79321, though this often relies upon the honesty of sellers.

The petition adds: ‘Acid attacks have become too common, the Home Office needs to do something to bring it under control.

‘It is a disgusting criminal act. We need licensing laws now to deter this from happening.’